R.I.D.E.R.

Residents for Improving Dart Efficiency and Ridership

8/2/19 RESPONSES FROM DART #2

DART - Non-Transparent, Not Post Betterment Videos. Will not provide Line of Sight, etc.

Can DART post the Betterment Meeting Videos to the website page?

A1: No, DART will not post the Betterment meeting videos on the dart.org/cottonbelt website page. They are available through an open records request
at https://www.dart.org/about/publicinformationact.asp.

Q2: Will DART provide the following at the next round of betterment meetings? An accurate display of where betterment or mitigation walls will start at each intersection between Preston Road and Coit Road? There are 8 intersections and 4 quadrants or NE, NW, SE, SW. This is necessary so people understand if they are getting a betterment or mitigation wall or chain link fence.

A2: DART is working with the design build team to optimize the limits of the betterments wall near the at-grade crossings and comply with safety requirements. The details related to the specific configuration at each at-grade crossing will be addressed during final design. Although the design process is ongoing, DART will provide updates on designs for at-grade crossings at future meetings.

Q3: If this information is available before the next betterment meeting start dates, can you post this on the website page?

A3: Yes, DART will post the information as soon as it is available.

Q4: Can DART post the betterment meeting times and location on the website page, at a minimum 2 weeks in advance?

A4: Yes, the Betterment meeting date, time, and location for the next meeting is currently posted on thedart.org/cottonbelt website.

Q5: Can you provide your email address again so if people have questions that are outstanding than you can allocate more people to answer questions before the next meeting?
a. Michele, When should they send questions to you, I think it was 2 weeks in advance of next

meeting?

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b. Could you post it above the betterment section?
c. The reason was 30 day turnaround time for answers and potential answers not

completed. Ex: my question list from May 23, 2019 is outstanding and this is greater than 30 days

A5: Please use the following email address: cottonbelt@dart.org when submitting questions about the Cotton Belt Project. DART Board member information can be found on the website
at: https://www.dart.org/about/board/boardbios/boardbios.asp

8/2/19 RESPONSES FROM DART #3

DART - Residents want Trees vs Walls? MPH - DART changes answers. DART had 29 emails out of 200+

Q I would appreciate it if you could please answer our questions with a direct answer. People are really concerned about the Safety and making sure we get the correct information to them. Also, we want to make sure that the public understands the Safety Issue since your comment ""Maybe they don’t want walls but want large trees"" creates a misperception of Safety.

Can you please answer our original questions, follow up questions and our new questions.
1. Can you please tell me why a resident in Far North Dallas would not want walls between

them and a train that will exceed 60 MPH+ going Westbound? Per Figure 3-3

A On 6/11/19 the following response was issued: I have received your email and we are working with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: The Silver Line service through the most densely populated areas of the project between Waterview Parkway and Knoll Trail Drive will not exceed 45 miles per hour. In locations where no walls are required, the DART ROW will be secured with a minimum 6' chain link fence.

Q 2) A) How do you calculate trains will average 35 MPH through North Dallas Area?
B) After looking at Figure 3-2 and 3-3, do you still think the trains will average 35 MPH through North Dallas Area?
C) Is the 35 MPH in the Appendix B Technical Memoranda and Reports?
We understand the 2 pictures did not show up for question #2. We want to provide the figures. The 2 figures for question #2 are below:
Source: B.18 Operations Stimulation Methodology and Results
Figure 3-2 Eastbound Speed Profile, DFW Terminal B to Shiloh Road
Figure 3-3 Westbound Maximum Authorized Speed Profile (Red) and Simulated Speed Profile (Green), Shiloh Road to DFW Terminal B

A On 6/11/19 the following response was issued: I have received your email and we are working with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response:
2A - The DART Cotton Belt Operations Simulation Methodology & Results report indicates an approximate travel time of 6 minutes between Knoll Trail Station and Coit Road Station at a distance of approximately 3-1/2 miles. The resultant average speed is 35 mph.

2B - Figure 3-2 and 3-3 identify maximum authorized speeds and include consideration of Preston Road Station and Coit Road Station. Table 5-3 of the FEIS excludes consideration of the deleted stations. Table 5-3 indicates an approximate travel time of 7 minutes between Knoll Trail Station and UT Dallas Station. Using a distance of approximately 5 miles, the resultant average speed is 43 mph.

2C - The average speed of 35 mph was calculated based on information contained in Appendix B.18 included with the FEIS.

Q 3) Do you think no walls, along any part of the proposed cotton belt railroad track between Preston Rd and Waterview Pkwy, would create a safety hazard?

A On6 /11/19 the following response was issued: I have received your email and we are working with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: In locations where no walls are required, the DART ROW will be secured with a minimum 6' chain link fence."

Q 4) Do you think no walls, along any part of the proposed cotton belt railroad track between Preston Rd and Waterview Pkwy, are safe for kids that walk to and from school or play in the neighborhood?

A On6/11/19thefollowingresponsewasissued: Ihavereceivedyouremailandweareworking with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: In locations where no walls are required, the DART ROW will be secured with a minimum 6' chain link fence.

Q 5) What is corridor safety fencing?

A On6/11/19thefollowing response was issued: I have received your email and we are working with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: Corridor safety fencing is a minimum 6' chain link fence.

Q 6) How many residents whose homes directly about the tracks in Far North Dallas, between Preston road and Waterview Dr, have requested to NOT have a wall between their residence and the train tracks?

A On6/11/19thefollowingresponsewasissued: Ihavereceivedyouremailandweareworking with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: Not all residents have communicated their preference for a betterments wall. Based on feedback from recent Betterment Area Focus Group meetings in the Far North Dallas area, the options for a betterment wall is being presented for all locations that qualify for a betterment wall.

Q 7) How many HOA contacts are in Far North Dallas? How many HOAs are voluntary and involuntary? How many residents belong to each HOA?

A On6/11/19thefollowingresponsewasissued: Ihavereceivedyouremailandweareworking with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: There are six HOA contacts in Far North Dallas. We have no knowledge which HOA's are voluntary or involuntary and that had no impact on our communication with them. We have no knowledge of the number of residents belonging to each HOA.

Q 8) How many residents whose homes directly about the tracks in Fart North Dallas, between Preston road and Waterview Dr, have provided DART with their email address? How many of these specific residents has DART emailed in the 1st betterment round of meetings?

A On6/11/19thefollowingresponsewasissued: Ihavereceivedyouremailandweareworking with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: DART has email addresses for those who have attended the Betterment meetings and as of the date of this question, 6-10-19, that number is 29. In the first round we did not email anyone other then the HOA president or someone who represented the HOA because we did not have email addresses before the first round of betterment meetings.

Q 9) We reviewed the cotton belt concerned coalition distribution email list that was sent out the other day. How many of those residents that abut the tracks our on the distribution email list? How many residents on that distribution list are greater than 4 houses from the track are on the email list?

A On6/11/19thefollowingresponsewasissued: Ihavereceivedyouremailandweareworking with our team to answer your questions and concerns within the next 24 hours.
Updated response: DART had no knowledge of the concerned coalition distribution list. This is not a DART list. Following the first round of meetings in May, DART started mailing and door hanging every residential adjacent home owner for follow-up meetings in June. "

Q Gordon and Sue, I am follow up from your response on Tuesday morning. Per your last email, it appeared you would send a response within 24 hours and now it has been over 72 hours. Are you going to send a response?

A Responses to your email will be provided by August 2, 2019.

Q Jon-Bertrell,
Can you please see if you get can our questions answered? I sent email to Gordon and Sue. I was supposed to receive a response by June 12th at 7:00am or 24 hours. It has now been 8 plus days.

A Responses to your email will be provided by August 2, 2019.


Your comment says many riders will take one-way trips to DFW Airport. Can you park overnight at DART stations?

A Yes, overnight parking at DART stations is permitted.